Merry Christmas, Cleo
by Vitality Palmer
Summary: Cleo admits to loving Lewis, but the next day she finds out he's cheating on her with Charlotte. A year goes by, and Cleo and Lewis have bairley spoken. Can a note, a sea shell, and an odd snowfall in Australia mend their broken relationship?


**So, hello again. I was chatting with some friends and one directed me to the Glee version of Last Christmas**. Stunning, it puts a great twist on a holiday classic in my opinion.

I just HAD to do a fic with it. This popped into my head earlier and it's taken two days, but I finished. :D Please enjoy and if you want to see more Clewis or H20: Just Add Water fics from me, review! Please! It only takes a moment to at least say you liked it or you hated it! Critiques are very much asked for if you have the time! But a simple "I love it" "I hated it" will do, too. Please and thanks, and Merry Christmas!

* * *

_Last Christmas, I gave you heart_

_But the very next day, you gave it away_

_This year, to save me from tears_

_I'll give it to someone special_

**----Flashback----**

"I love you Lewis, and well, I have for a while, and I need to know what you think of me." I whispered. We sat at the JuiceNet Café together. It was Christmas Eve, and I needed to do this. The gentle lull of the music gave me the confidence to tell Lewis the truth. And if he didn't feel the same way, that was okay.

"Cleo. I- I love you, too." he said. He leaned forward and we shared a kiss. I smiled and he brushed a strand of hair from my face. He returned the smile. It was like a scene from a movie, to good to be true. . .

The next day I saw him. With her. He walked with her, his goofy smile planted upon that perfect face. I knew that smile. Everyone knew that smile. . . Lewis was in love. And that girl wasn't me. Charlotte caught my eye and grinned. I knew, she wasn't only out to get me, she was after Lewis. And he didn't seem to have a problem with that. Merry Christmas, Cleo. . .

**----End Flashback----**

_Once bitten, and twice shy_

_I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye_

_Tell me baby, do you recognize me?_

_Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me_

I was with Emma and Rikki. They had insisted I go to the Christmas Dance at the JuiceNet Café with them. Sure, I didn't argue much, but I wasn't exactly looking forward to it. I mean, Emma had Ash and Rikki was with Zane. I couldn't help but feel. . . out of place with them.

I didn't let that get to me, though. Well, I tried. What bothered me was that it was almost a year since I had told Lewis that I loved him, and almost a year since he had cheated on me.

I was standing by the counter, looking down at my smoothie. I wasn't really in the mood for dancing. Rikki glanced at me from the dance floor and grinned. I smiled back, not wanting to ruin her fun. Why should my friends suffer?

I looked down at my drink again, but quickly pulled my glance back up. He was here, too. I sighed as I saw who he had his arms around. Charlotte. I tried looking away, but it was move difficult then staying away from water. Charlotte moved away from Lewis and he was left alone.

I walked over casually. "Hey." I said as if nothing had ever happened between us. It tore me apart inside to look at him, but I couldn't keep myself away.

"Oh, hi, Cleo?" he said as if he didn't know my name. It stung, but I tried to encourage myself. We hadn't spoken in almost a year. Maybe it was all an act? I could hope. I continued on my way to the edge of the dance floor before slipping outside and heading home.

_(Merry Christmas)_

_I wrapped it up and sent it, _

_With a note saying "I love you" I meant it_

_Now I know, what a fool I've been_

_But if you kissed me now, I know you'd fool me again_

When I got home that night, I pulled out a piece of paper and started writing. I poured my broken heart out onto that page. I didn't forget to add the three small words I very much wanted to hear in return.

I tip toed out the door and jogged to the ocean. It wasn't the first time I had snuck out, and even though I hated to lie, this was something I had to do. Ten seconds after my feet touched the water, a golden tail replaced my legs. I propelled myself toward the docks and through a maze of other boats. I stopped short, seeing a glimmer at the bottom of the shallow waters. I swam down to lift a large shimmering shell from the sand. Smiling I continued toward Lewis' boat.

From it's place at the docks, I lifted myself out of the water and waited for my legs to re-appear. Once they did, I pulled the note out of my jean pocket and put it on the seat of the boat. I was about to dive back into the water when I remembered the shell in my hand. Glancing at it, I moved to put it on top of the note before jumping back into the water and swimming home.

_Last Christmas, I gave you my heart_

_But the very next day, you gave it away_

_This year, to save me from tears_

_I'll give it to someone special_

_Last Christmas, I gave you my heart_

_But the very next day, you gave it away_

_This year, to save me from tears_

_I'll give it to someone special_

That night I dreamt over and over again of last Christmas. The scene kept playing in my head.

----I was sitting in a booth with Lewis. He kept talking about things he had found online about mermaids and I tried to be interested. I tapped my hands under the table nervously. I drowned out the voices around me and focused on his voice and the gentle sound of the music playing.

"Lewis, I love you, and well, I have for a while, and I need to know what you think of me." I whispered to him suddenly. I let the music give me the confidence I needed to wait for a reply. I looked up into his eyes, trying to find some sort of emotion in them.

"Cleo. I- I love you, too." he whispered back. He glanced at me, and then at the table, before he leaned forward and our lips met. When we pulled away I smiled as he brushed a strand of hair from my face. He returned the smile, and my grin was from ear to ear the rest of the night.----

Again and again. And again. It was like it was haunting me. I tossed and turned through the night. I was woken up by a tapping sound. I signed and pushed the covers off of me. The tapping continued. Now I could see that tiny stones were being thrown at my window. Unsure who it could be, I stayed clear of it and walked into my bathroom. I pulled back the curtain from the window to see who was throwing stones at my bedroom window.

Lewis. For a moment I felt happy, and was going to skip downstairs to open the door. Then I remembered the haunting dream I had moments ago. I signed and slipped back into bed, drifting into restless slumber yet again.

_A crowded room, friends with tired eyes_

_I'm hiding from you, and your soul of ice_

_My god I thought you were, someone to rely on_

_Me, I guess I was a shoulder to cry on_

Christmas Eve. The anniversary of me and Lewis exchanging our true feelings for each other. And the anniversary of Lewis cheating on me with Charlotte. Ugh. I'd normally be at home crying, but Emma and Rikki wouldn't have any of that.

We were sitting at the JuiceNet, again. It was their Christmas Eve Spectacular. Yeah, for who? My ranting mood didn't seem to be helping my friends. Emma and Rikki looked like they hadn't slept in days. Zane glanced at Cleo worriedly before turned away and wrapping his arms around Rikki. Cleo turned to Ash for a second, but quickly turned away. He looked just as bad as the others.

"I think I'll just go guys. Have some fun, don't let me stop you." I said with all the enthusiasm I could muster. Their faces lit up, and I grinned back at them before turning away and walking toward the exit. I glanced around to be sure he wasn't around before leaving.

As I walked slowly through the cool air, I couldn't help thinking about Lewis. His smile, the way his eyes shone when he was happy. . .

I thought I heard something in the distance. I stopped to listen. There it was again! I walked toward the docks near the JuiceNet Café, where the sound seemed to be coming from. I walked slowly, realizing all to late I was heading for Lewis' boat. There he was, sitting at the edge of the dock with his face in his hands. He was sobbing quietly.

He had always been there for me, almost always. When I got braces, when my parents would fight, over the years he was always there for me. I needed to be there for him now. I took a deep breathe and moved closer.

I walked down the length of the dock until I was behind him. Looking down at the water, I sat beside him. His eyes were red and rimmed with tears, but I sat where I was. He flinched when he saw me, but didn't try to move away. Instead he leaned over and put his head on my shoulder. I was confused, but I let go of my hate and anger and wrapped my arms around him. He cried for what seemed like hours, and I sat there holding him. There was no conversation between us. Somehow, we both knew each other's reasons for being together.

_Face on a lover with the fire in his heart,_

_A man under cover, but you took me apart, oh oh_

_Now I found a real love, you'll never fool me again_

We finally pulled apart. He wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Charlotte, was cheating on me." he said.

"Like Lewis cheated on me with Charlotte." I shot back, turning my face away from him to look up at the moon. It wasn't a full moon, but I could tell that would be coming very soon. I didn't want to deal with the moon again, not again. . .

"Cleo, I'm so sorry. I was a jerk, and I understand if you never want to speak to me again. Charlotte, me sneaking around with her. That's not who I am, and I don't want to be like that. Please, forgive me?" he said pleadingly.

I signed. Should I really forgive him? I turned to face him again. His eyes shone. He leaned forward and kissed me gently. After a moment I answered his lips and we sat there together. He knew me well, he knew talking wouldn't help, and he must really care if he was willing to kiss me to show it.

We pulled away and I glanced up at him. "Lewis. . ." I whispered.

"I'm so sorry Cleo. Please, I do love you, always did, and always will." he reached into his pocket and pulled out the shell I'd left the night before. He handed it to me and wrapped my figures around it's smooth surface.

"I made a mistake, and if I could take about what's happened the past year, god I would. Please Cleo, I love you." he looked down at the shimmering water, and I saw a tear hit it and send ripples outward in all directions.

_Last Christmas, I gave you heart_

_But the very next day, you gave it away_

_This year, to save me from tears_

_I'll give it to someone special_

"Lewis, you a such a stupid, stupid person." I whispered, leaning in to kiss him again. I pulled back and smiled at him, brushing my figures over the shell.

"Oh, am I?" he said. We stopped talking when suddenly I began to feel the cold air. He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. I looked up at him smiling. He pulled me closer to him, hugging me tightly. He rested his chin on the top of my head and I leaned my head on his chest.

_Last Christmas, I gave you heart_

_But the very next day, you gave it away_

_This year, to save me from tears_

_I'll give it to someone special_

I looked up into the sky as something cold fell on my nose. Snow? At the Gold Coast? Lewis looked up into the sky and laughed.

"Merry Christmas, Cleo." he whispered, and we kissed once more. This time, we didn't pull away so quickly. As the snowflakes dusted us, we enjoyed the moment, and our own bliss seemed to melt the cold snow that feel upon us. It was real love, and this time, no one would get in our way.

_Give you my, heart. . ._


End file.
